Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee President Jitu Patwari on Tuesday accused Bharatiya Janata Party governments at the Center and in Madhya Pradesh of dealing a severe blow to agriculture in the country.

Addressing the media the Congress state unit chief said that one hand farmers are not being provided adequate support prices, and on the other hand, they do not get fertilizers on time. "Farmers in Madhya Pradesh are standing in queues for several days to buy fertilizers. Due to the brutality of the BJP government, farmers are facing police lathi charges, while the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh is enjoying power abroad instead of addressing the situation," he said.

Patwari said that farmers were bearing the brunt of deepening DAP shortages. "There is a severe shortage of DAP fertilizer in Madhya Pradesh and across the country. The Central Government had agreed to provide 8 lakh metric tonnes of DAP for the Rabi season, but unfortunately, only 4.57 lakh metric tons had been supplied till November 20, with only 2.91 lakh metric tonnes sold in the state.

DAP and complex fertilizers are used only during the sowing season, which peaks in October-November, but the government has failed to meet even half of the promised supply.

It is unfortunate that the requirement for urea in the state is 20 lakh metric tonnes, but only 12.70 lakh metric tonnes has been made available, with 7.69 lakh metric tonnes sold by November 20, 2024. Urea is used at least three times during the Rabi season: once during sowing, and twice after planting.

Patwari said the 52 lakh hectare had yielded 55-60 lakh tonnes of soybean in the state. However, farmers have been unable to sell their crops at cost recovery prices, despite Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan promising a minimum support price of Rs 4892 per quintal.

Patwari alleged that the state government had requested to buy 27.34 lakh metric tons of soybean for the 2024-25 Kharif season, but the Central Government had only approved the purchase of only half that amount.The Prime Minister had promised farmers during election rallies in Maharashtra that after the government is formed, soybean support prices would be Rs 6000 per quintal. He claimed, whole questioning the discrimination against farmers in the state.